Vehicle.



Pat ented Nov. :3, I900.

R. L. YOUNG.

V E H l C L E.

(Application filed. Mar. 27, 1900.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

RICHARD L. YOUNG, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TOTHOMAS .1. PRICE, or SAME PLACE.

VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 661,594, dated November13, 1900.

Application filed March 27, 1900. Serial No. 10,326. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD L. YOUNG, of Milwaukee, in the county ofMilwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Vehicles, of which the followingis a description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part ofthis specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in vehicles, more particularlyto that type of vehicles known as horseless vehicles.

' The primary object resides in providing for an improved form ofturning and steering mechanism, whereby certain advantageous results areobtained, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

With the above primary object in view the invention consists of thedevices and parts or their equivalents, as hereinafter setforth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicleequipped with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1, the bodyof the vehicle being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a detail plan viewof the central steering mechanism. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of Fig.3, and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through the front axle and lookingtoward the boss 21.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 6 indicates the body of thevehicle, which may be of any approved form of construction.

The numeral 7 indicates the front axle, having the front traction-wheels8 8' mounted thereon, and 9 the rear axle, having the rear tractionwheels 10 10 mounted thereon. These axles are journaled in suitablebearings in the body of the vehicle, and the front axle passes throughhorizontally-elongated slots 11 in the depending side pieces of saidbody of the vehicle. At its center the front axle is formed or providedwith a hub portion 12, and this hub is formed or provided with aninternal gear-wheel 13. This gear-wheel is preferably separate from thehuband is securely fastened therein by means of setscrews 14.. Adaptedto engage the teeth of the gear-wheel 13 is a spur-wheel 15, saidspur-wheel carried bya steering-rod 16, which rod is extended upwardlyin convenient position to be reached by the occupant of the vehicle. Theupper end of the rod carries a hand-wheel 17 for convenience in turningthe same. The lower end of the steering-rod is preferably extended aslight distance below the spur-wheel and is seated in the bottom of thehub. The top of the hub is closed by means of a screw-cap 18, having acentral opening through which the steering rod passes. Bearing againstthe upper and lower faces of the spur Wheel are plates 19 19, againstwhich said spur-wheel is adapted to work These plates are preferably ofsteel. Cushions 20 20, preferably of rubber, are ad.- jacent to theplates 19, one of said cushions being disposed between one of saidplates and the cap 18 and the other cushion between the other of saidplates and the bottom of the hub. These cushions are adapted to take upside 'motion or jarring which may be occa-- sioned by unevenness in theroad-bed.

The front axle is formed or provided with bosses arranged, respectively,at intermediate points between the central steering mechanism and therespective traction-wheels 8 8.

The boss nearest the wheel 8 is indicated by the numeral 21 and the bossnearest the wheel 8 by the numeral 21. These bosses are intersected,respectively, by vertical studs 22 22. Extending into the bosses fromdiametrically opposite sides thereof are conical pins 23, the points ofsaid pins engaging the respecti ve studs 22, and thereby serving to holdsaid studs in the openings of the bosses. Straddling the respectivebosses, so as to bear against the upper and lower ends thereof, areforks 24 24'. The two members of each fork are provided with curvedsegmental slots, the concentric slots of the arms of fork 24 beingindicated by the numeral 25 and the concentric slots of the arm of fork24 being indicated by the numeral 25. The slots 25 curve outwardlytoward the wheel 8, and the slots 25 curve outwardly toward the wheel 8.The slots 25 receive the projecting ends of the stud 22, and the slots25 receive the projecting ends of the stud 22'. The forks have extendingrearwardly therefrom parallel longitudinal arms 26 26, which arms attheir rear ends are provided with bearings 27 27 for the rear axle.These arms therefore bind the from looking,

studs'22 22 move in the arcs of the circlesformed by the slots 25 25,traveling the full length of the throw either Way, and. the con; tact ofthe studs with the ends of these sl'ots limits the extent of theturning. By reason. of the fact that the front axle passes through theelongated slots 11 in the body of thevehicle the swinging around of theax-le ini the mannerdescribed is of course not. interfered with.Whenever it is desiredtoit urnzthe-ve hicle in, an Op osite direction.to thatde, scribed, of course the steering-wheel 17 is; given, areverseturn.

It Will bQ-SBGH thatby my improvement the,

necessity of a fifth-wheel is enwtirelyl obviated.

Furthermore, by the particular, arrangement, of-the hub 12 sufficientroom. is left in, said,- hubto permit of any side, motion which may be;occasioned byrough roadbeds, the jaribeiing taken up by the, cushions20., There; is alsotample room left in-the hub 12, toprovide. forsufficient clearance tov prevent the, geans Still further, in turningthe front axle from right to left, or. vice versa, the pressure isequally, divided.

While I prefer toprovide the forwardends of the arms26 with; the forks-PtHdg the, mem bers of each fork with concentric,slots,, yetI.

do not wish tobe understoodaslimiting myr 5 slf thereto, inasmuch asrtheforkformation is not absolutelynecessary in order'to secure successfulresults, aseach: army 26.; Gould be provided at its forward endwith,merely, single arm orextension having-acurvedslot;

therein witho ut depanting-from, thespirit and; scope of myinvention. Insuch arrangement the pin, 22 01 22, as the casemayl be,v sho,ul,d

be extended a, slight. distance beyond theslot and. a transverse pinzorcolter-pin. madetoin:

tersect the end of said pin, 22 or 22f inordei -j to,hol,d the slottedarm tothe axle.

Whatvl claimasmy invention is 1. In azvehicle, the combination;offrontand.

rearaxles, traction-wheels mountedthe-reon,

studs intersecting the front axle vertically forks straddling; the frontaxle, the,ar,msof-- each fork provided with; concentric cunved: slotsto, receive-the projecting ends of eaeh; stud, and arms extendingfrom,the forks. and; provided at their rearends with bearingsfon the-rearaxle 2, In a vehicle, the com-binationoffrontandi rear, axles,.the;front axleformed-or. provided:

with bossesor enlargements, studsintersecbr ing the. bosses vertically,tractionrwheels mounted on, therfrontrand, rear axles, and.

arms provided at their rear ends withbearings for the rear axle,randeach' arm provided at its forward end with a forward extension, eachextension being adjacent to the end of a boss, and provided with acurved slot to receive the vertical pin.

3. I-n-a vehicle, the combination of'f'ront and rear-axles, thefrontaxle having at a medial point a.v chambered hub portion, tractionwheelsmounted on the front and rear axles, a rotatable part extending into thechamber of the hub and engaging the walls of said V chamber, and therebyadaptedrto swing the axl'e,and"means for turning the rotatable part. 4:.In:avehicle, th-eeombination of front and ;rear axles, the front axlehaving at a medial point' a chambered hub portion,v the-Walls of thechamber being provided, interiorly with a. rigid gear rwheel,tractionrlwheels mounted on the; front-endmean axles, atomized. h el 1;arran-gedvwithing theqhamberofthe huh and n egingthe geanwheelthereof,and thereby (adapted; to.- swing the axle, and. means; for j turningsaid toothed wheel,

5.; Inavehiele th egcombination of frontand 'j'rearr ax-les the frontaxle: havinga. medial .hub portion,,,traetion wheels mountedon.thefront, and-rear axles, rotatable; partengag-"inga'thehubandtherebyiadaptedtoswing'the axle, means, 01:- turning.said, rotatable; part,

studsintersecting thefront axlejventically,

ifnont axle each; extension, provided: with a,

fcurveds10tadaptedetongeceive thevertical pin.

rear axles, the, front axle; having: a medial 3-h11hportion;,traotionewheels mounted on the front and rear-axles, a rotatable partarranged.

gwi thin, and engagingtthe h,ub, and,thereby adapted to swingtheaxle,platesinterposed ilbetweentthe rotatable v part and, the, endsofthe hub, and means fontu-rning the: rotatableend a, screwecap fittingthe upper end; of; the g-hllh tractionewheels; mounted, onthe front 3;and-rear? axles, .agrotatable pant engaging the and. means, fonturnin gsaid rotatable. part-a 1 rear: e xlese he, r nt axle, having a media hubportion, traction-wheels mountedonthe frontandrean axles, a,rotatablezpant arranged within, and: engaging, the hub and-therebyladapt ed, to; swing the axle, cushions inter-l- ;pqsedibetweelthe,rotatablepartandwthe ends f ithe,l1ub-, flindtmeans for turning,said rotay eblepa-rt.

grear axles,etraction-wheels. mountedthereon,

6,, In avehicle,-,the,combina-tionof front and;

hub portioni, said, hub having a closed; lower h-ub and thereby adaptedtoswingthe axle,.

8; Ina vehicla the combinationoffront and 9, Inavehicle, thecombinationof front and,

studs intersecting the front axle vertically,

In testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD L. YOUNG;

Witnesses;

EDWARD, CRAMER, COURT B. GUNLEYr

